How Many Drowned Does it Take to Get a Trident?
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
The answer, in short, is unpredictable. There’s no guaranteed number. On average, it takes killing around 25-30 Drowned to get a Trident due to their low drop rate.
Drowned are the undead mobs found in oceans, rivers, and other water sources in Minecraft. They are hostile creatures that attack players and other entities. One of the rarer items they can drop is a Trident, a powerful melee and ranged weapon. Obtaining a Trident is largely based on chance.
Understanding the Drowned and Their Drops
Before diving into the specifics of Trident acquisition, let’s understand the basics of Drowned spawns and drops.
Drowned Spawning Mechanics
Drowned naturally spawn in the following conditions:
- Rivers and Oceans: Drowned spawn naturally in water sources within river and ocean biomes.
- Darkness: They spawn at light levels of 0.
- Converting Zombies: When a zombie is submerged in water for a period, it will eventually convert into a Drowned. The conversion process takes some time, and the zombie must remain underwater for it to occur.
- Zombie Sieges: During zombie sieges near water, zombies have a higher chance to convert to Drowned.
Drowned Item Drops
Drowned can drop a variety of items upon death, depending on whether the player uses Looting enchantments. The common drops include:
- Rotten Flesh: This is the most common drop and always occurs if the Drowned is killed by a player.
- Copper Ingots: Drowned can drop copper ingots when killed by a player. This drop is more common than the Trident.
- Nautilus Shell: A relatively rare drop, used in crafting conduits.
- Fishing Rod: Drowned can spawn holding a fishing rod, and they may drop it upon death.
- Trident: The rarest and most sought-after drop, used in both melee and ranged combat.
The Trident Drop Rate: A Deep Dive
The base chance of a Drowned dropping a Trident is only 3.75% (or 1/27) when killed by a player. This low percentage makes acquiring a Trident a potentially time-consuming endeavor. However, there are ways to improve your odds:
The Impact of Looting Enchantments
The Looting enchantment, when applied to a sword, increases the chance of mobs dropping rare items. Each level of Looting further improves the drop rate.
- Looting I: Increases the Trident drop rate to 4.69% (roughly 1/21).
- Looting II: Increases the Trident drop rate to 5.63% (roughly 1/18).
- Looting III: Increases the Trident drop rate to 6.56% (roughly 1/15).
With Looting III, your chances are significantly improved, but it’s still not a guarantee. You might still have to defeat a considerable number of Drowned before a Trident drops.
Factors Affecting Trident Acquisition
Beyond Looting, some other considerations can influence your Trident-hunting success:
- Mob Farms: Creating a Drowned farm using the zombie conversion method can increase the number of Drowned you encounter, boosting your opportunities for drops.
- Ocean Exploration: Actively exploring ocean biomes and hunting Drowned as you find them can yield results, but is generally less efficient than a mob farm.
- Patience: Obtaining a Trident often requires patience and persistence. It is rare, so expect to spend some time farming.
Practical Tips for Efficient Trident Farming
Here are some tips to maximize your chances of obtaining a Trident:
- Enchanted Sword: Always use a sword with Looting III enchantment.
- Drowned Farm Construction: Build a Drowned farm utilizing zombie conversion in a dark, enclosed space with flowing water.
- Optimize Spawn Rates: Ensure the farm is built in an area where Drowned spawn frequently.
- AFK Farming: Design the farm to allow you to AFK (Away From Keyboard) while the Drowned automatically spawn and are defeated. This maximizes efficiency.
- Combine with Other Farms: Integrate your Drowned farm with other useful farms, such as a copper farm, to gain additional resources while hunting for Tridents.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Drowned and Tridents
1. Can I find Tridents in chests?
No. Tridents are exclusively dropped by Drowned holding one when killed by a player. They do not generate in chests.
2. Do all Drowned carry Tridents?
No. Only a small percentage of Drowned spawn holding Tridents. Only these are capable of dropping Tridents upon death.
3. Can I repair a Trident?
Yes. You can repair a Trident using another Trident on an anvil, or using mending enchantment.
4. What are the enchantments that work on Tridents?
Tridents can be enchanted with:
- Loyalty: The Trident returns to the thrower after being thrown.
- Impaling: Increases damage against aquatic mobs.
- Riptide: Propels the player forward when throwing the Trident in water or rain.
- Channeling: Summons lightning when throwing the Trident during a thunderstorm.
- Mending: Repairs the item using experience orbs.
- Unbreaking: Increases the durability of the item.
- Curse of Vanishing: The item disappears upon death.
5. What is the best Trident enchantment?
The “best” enchantment depends on your play style. However, Loyalty and Impaling are generally considered very useful. Loyalty ensures your Trident always returns, and Impaling significantly boosts damage against aquatic creatures.
6. Can I use a Trident on land?
Yes, but without Riptide, it functions as a melee weapon on land. Riptide requires water or rain to activate its propelling effect.
7. How does Riptide work?
When you throw a Trident enchanted with Riptide while standing in water or rain, you are propelled in the direction the Trident is thrown.
8. How does Impaling work?
The Impaling enchantment increases the Trident’s damage against aquatic mobs, such as Guardians, Elder Guardians, Dolphins, and Turtles.
9. What is the purpose of Channeling?
The Channeling enchantment summons a bolt of lightning where the Trident hits when thrown during a thunderstorm. This can set mobs on fire and is effective against groups.
10. Can I breed Drowned?
No, Drowned cannot be bred. They either spawn naturally or are converted from zombies.
11. Can I control the Drowned?
No, Drowned are hostile mobs and cannot be tamed or controlled like some other creatures in Minecraft.
12. Are Drowned harder to kill than zombies?
Drowned are slightly more resilient than standard zombies due to being able to swim and attack in water, also having the ability to throw tridents.
13. Can Tridents break?
Yes, Tridents have durability and can break with use, like most tools and weapons in Minecraft. Use Mending and Unbreaking enchantments to extend their lifespan.
14. Does difficulty affect the Trident drop rate?
No, the difficulty level (Easy, Normal, Hard) does not directly affect the Trident drop rate. However, higher difficulty levels may increase the overall spawn rate of mobs, indirectly leading to more Drowned encounters.
15. Is there any other way to get a Trident besides killing Drowned?
No. Killing Drowned is the only way to obtain a Trident. Bartering with Piglins, fishing, or finding them in structures will not yield a Trident.